• About
  • Contact Me

Little Green Cheese

Cheese making at home with Gavin Webber the Cheeseman

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Cheese eBook
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Cheese Making Kits
  • Courses
  • Support Me!
  • Live!
You are here: Home / Taste Test / A Bit Like Feta

A Bit Like Feta

01/04/2012 By Gavin Webber 15 Comments

Feta style cheese is so easy to make, and only needs 4 litres of milk instead of the normal 8 that I use for a harder type cheese.  I can’t really call it Feta, so lets go with a bit like Feta.

With minimal stirring after cutting the curd, and a pressing of only 4 hours, what is not to like about this cheese.  Here is a batch that I made last week.

bit like feta

I don’t use a normal press, with this two litre milk bottle filled with water serving as the weight.  It doesn’t need much pressure to form the block.  The curds starts off in both moulds, then at the two hour mark, they have shrunk enough for me to squish them together in a single mould forming one block.  If you look closely you can see the join line.

Once pressed, I make up a strong brine by adding half a cup of salt to two litres of the leftover whey, and a quarter of a cup of white vinegar.  This was the first time that I had used the whey as the base for the brine, and found that it worked very well and it improved the final flavour of the cheese.

I let is soak in the brine for two days before cutting it in half, and storing it in two smaller containers that fit in the fridge.  I use the same brine to keep the divided cheese moist.

The finished product is a firm, crumbly, yet creamy feta that can be stored for at least 6 months in this manner.  It is great crumbled on top of pizza or cubed into a Greek salad with lots of home preserved black olives!

It is just so simple to make and took me 3 hours from start to press, then about 15 minutes with the brine and putting it in the fridge to mature.  If you want the full recipe, check out this post titled “Feta – Video tutorial“.

Enjoy this cheese that’s a bit like Feta 🙂

Will this article help someone you know? If so help them out by sharing now!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Taste Test Tagged With: Feta

← Romano Verdict Cheese Facts →

About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber is passionate about home cheese making. He loves to make cheese in his spare time and shares the techniques, videos, podcasts, and recipes with his fellow curd nerds!

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Ryan Kingsbury says

    29/12/2014 at 07:04

    Thanks for the great site, YouTube videos and podcast!

    Just to clarify – do we leave the feta in the brine out of the fridge for 2-3 days, AND THEN in the fridge for 3-4 days? The video was a little confusing near the end.

    Thanks!
    Ryan in Victoria, Canada

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      29/12/2014 at 09:25

      Hi Ryan. You can pop the feta in the brine straight into the fridge. It doesn't need to rest at room temperature.

      Hope that helps

      Reply
    • Ryan Kingsbury says

      30/12/2014 at 15:35

      Great – thanks – nice and easy.

      BTW my dog says he just loved your Caerphilly recipe – he stole and ate the entire brick while it was drying! A new brick is 3 weeks away from being ready and we can't wait to try it!

      Thanks for all of your hard work – you've turned my wife and I into curd nerds!

      Ryan

      Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      20/01/2015 at 11:04

      Hi Ryan, Your question got a mention in the latest podcast episode. Here is the link to the show.

      https://www.littlegreencheese.com/2015/01/lgc-s02e01-welcome-back.html

      Reply
    • Ryan Kingsbury says

      23/01/2015 at 03:27

      Thanks!!!

      Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    27/03/2013 at 10:23

    Hi Gavin,
    What a fantastic recipe! I followed it to a tee and it is wonderful and creamy. I used homebrand milk from supermarket and was very impressed with the taste. It was the first cheese i have every made so was very scared but when it came time to cut the curd and it had set perfectly i had a smile from ear to ear. I will be marinading it over the weekend.
    Thanks for sharing all your knowledge.
    Emily

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      27/03/2013 at 10:43

      Hi Emily, Sounds like you made a great first cheese!

      Well done

      Gav x

      Reply
  3. Juggler says

    04/04/2012 at 13:41

    I am about to mkae my Feta again tomorrow, have never stored in brine, normally just cover with salt and slam it in the fridge, but the lasting 6 months sounds great – so tomorrow I am brineing it up! I probably should also press mine a little more, I only use the weight of the two halves to squash out the whey and after a few hours of change them over it makes a delicious soft Feta.

    Reply
  4. bayside gardener says

    03/04/2012 at 10:39

    Sounds like somwthing to try over the Easter break Gav. Haven't tried cheese making before but the simplcity of this recipe gives me the courage to give it ago. Cheers Anita

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    02/04/2012 at 15:11

    Thanks for this Gavin – another excellent post. I was wondering if storing the feta in brine made from the whey is a common thing to do or whether it is your own idea. As you originally added bacterial starter to the milk, presumably the bacteria will be in the whey too. Will those bacteria continue making the brine more acidic as time progresses even in the salty fridge conditions? Or will the whey-brine go 'off' over time as milk does? I know time will tell, but is there a history to this?
    David

    Reply
  6. Melinda says

    02/04/2012 at 05:49

    Mmmmm, love Feta! Would this work as well if the recipe were halved, do you think? I'm the only one here who likes Feta, and I don't think I could eat that much. Although you reckon it lasts for six months, and I could always give some away…..

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      02/04/2012 at 11:04

      Hi Melinda, I can't see why it would not work if you halved the recipe. I have doubled them and they work out fine.

      Reply
    • Melinda says

      03/04/2012 at 12:23

      Thanks! I'll give it a a try over Easter. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Michelle J says

    01/04/2012 at 20:42

    We make a lot of feta with our goats milk. Everyone loves it!

    We store our differently though – immersed in olive oil with smoked peppercorns. Yum! 🙂

    Reply
    • Cheeseadmin says

      02/04/2012 at 11:01

      That does sound yummy Michelle!

      Reply

Leave a comment for the Cheese Maker! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us via Social

FacebooktwitterpinterestrssyoutubeinstagramFacebooktwitterpinterestrssyoutubeinstagram

Cheese Making Kits

Cheeseman.tv Merchandise

Cheeseman.tv Merchandise
Cool Cheesy T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and more
0:00
54:12
  • LGC097 - Interview with Tutu Saad Artisan Cheesemaker Bangladesh
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Archives

Tags

Aging Blue Brine Caerphilly Camembert Cheese Cave Cheese Press Colby Cream Cheese Curd Cutter Curds Drunken Cow eBook Emmentaler Equipment Farmhouse Cheddar Feta Gavin Halloumi Jarlsberg Kits Monterey Jack Mould Ripened Cheese Moulds Mozzarella Parmesan Parmigiano Reggiano Podcast Queso Fresco Raw Milk Rennet Ricotta Romano Romano Pepato Salt Sanitisation Starter Cultures Stilton Storage Technique Tzafatit Video Tutorial Waxing Whey Ricotta Workshops

Subscribe to Cheese Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS

Subscribe to Cheeseman.TV

Podcast Reviews

  • Love it. Keep it up!
    February 12, 2022 by Corknip from Denmark

    Excellent podcast. Started the home making adventure last month and have been catching up on all the past episodes and YouTube videos. it is a gold mine of shared knowledge. Thank you!

  • So funny!!!!
    June 15, 2020 by purple quaqamale from United States

    Little green cheese is so funny

  • Great podcasts
    June 14, 2020 by Chrissy Curd Nurd from Australia

    I’ve just started cheese making at home,Gavin ‘s podcasts are so informative. I also watch his you tube tutorials. Thanks for your great work!!

  • An excellent guide to artisan cheese!
    January 14, 2020 by N.K.13 from Australia

    I recently became aware of Gavin’s lovely YouTube channel and podcast and it’s been incredible. His competence and comprehensive explanations leave you craving more. Much like a good cheese! Cheers Gavin!

  • Perfect for Cheesemakers of all levels!
    December 3, 2018 by Viki Leeasa from Thailand

    I love that this podcast does not just have helpful tips and tricks on cheese making, but also stories and news from the cheese world, as well as nice little anecdotes from the host. A big fan from Thailand!

  • If you think you want to make cheese, listen to this!
    November 30, 2018 by paulsaw from United States

    Gavin Webber’s Little Green Cheese is By Far the best podcast I have ever heard! A truly informative and quality production!

  • Great program
    October 9, 2018 by p37dg9q14 from United States

    Very informative and enjoyable podcast. I started at episode 1 and currently listening to 25. I’ll be giving cheesemaking a go in the next week. Mike J from Oceanside CA

  • Great podcast
    September 13, 2018 by nicole_elias from Australia

    I have a long commute to and from work and have worked my way through the back catalogue of these podcasts. Enjoyed every one of them and hope for many more to come. Thanks Gavin! Keep up the great work. Cheers, Nicole

  • Excellent!
    September 3, 2018 by emeldridge from United States

    Looking to take up cheesemaking sometime soon and this channel has provided all the information necessary to get started!

  • Great Resource!
    August 28, 2018 by olivestones from United States

    I have been learning to make cheese for the past year. Gavin's podcast and video series has been a tremendous resource for me. His love for the cheese-making craft is evident in the amount of research he will perform in order to answer a listener's cheese question. All thumbs up for the amount of time and energy he puts into his quality podcast! ...And he cracks me up with his attempts at pronunciation!

Little Green Workshops

Copyright © 2023 · Gavin Webber